inclusive education in ghana - medbox.org fileghana and unesco 45 ghana national commission for...

G H A N A A N D U N E S C O

45

GHANA NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR UNESCO

Brief DefinitionInclusive Education (IE)

is an approach or a processwhich occurs when childrenwith and without disabilities,HIV status, age and childrenof diverse backgrounds andabilities learn together inthe same classroom, interactsocially with each otherwithin the regular schoolsetting for the whole day. Itaims at social inclusion andimplements the child’s rightas pronounced in the uni-versal declaration in humanrights of 1949 (UNESCO, 2003).

CharacteristicsIE acknowledges that all

children can learn. It respects

differences in children, age,gender, language, disability,HIV and TB status, etc. Itenables education structures,systems, and methodologiesto meet needs of all children.It promotes inclusive society.

Research shows that chil-dren who learn together, livetogether, play together andshare resources together andlive happily together. Thisconfirms the Salamancastatement and framework foraction (1994) which statesthat:

“Regular schools with inclu-sive orientation are the mosteffective means of combatingdiscrimination, creating wel-

coming communities, buildingan inclusive society and achiev-ing education for all.”

The Principle of InclusiveEducation was adapted atthe UNESCO 1994, SalamancaWorld Conference on SpecialNeeds Education and wasrestated at the Dakar WorldEducation Forum (2000) as:

“…schools should accom-modate all children regardlessof their physical, intellectual,social, emotional, linguistic orother conditions. This shouldinclude disabled and giftedchildren, street and workingchildren, children from remoteor nomadic populations, chil-dren from linguistic, ethnic orcultural minorities and childrenfrom other disadvantaged ormarginalized areas or groups.”

Genesis of InclusiveEducation in Ghana

Inclusive education inGhana, I can safely say thatinformally had begun as an

Inclusive Educationin Ghana:

Practices, challenges and thefuture implications for all stakeholders

By Prof. Grace Yawo GadagbuiFaculty of Educational Studies

University of Education, Winneba

REVUE GHANA 2 gravure - 224P OK:REVUE GHANA 2 gravure - 224P 12/04/10 11:02 Page 45


47


integration into schools since1951 – Accelerated Educa-tional Plan and the 1961Educational Act for freeeducation which resulted inincreases in basic enrolment.Then the Jomtien World Con-ference in Education of Edu-cation for All (1990) set thegoal of Education for All.UNESCO alongside with otherUN Agencies and NGOsworked towards the achieve-ment of this goal togetherwith the efforts made at thecountry level. For example,the 1992 Constitution hademphasized the Free Com-pulsory Universal Basic Edu-cation (FCUBE - 1995) whichalso increased access to basicschools. However, all theseeducational measures didnot provide what it takes torun an effective inclusiveeducation. Rather, access tospecial schools was possiblefor some and those integratedhad no equal opportunity.Society or educational systemshad not changed, the childwas rather expected to change– to have hearing aid; theteacher or peer are not expectedto learn to sign; the child hasto pass the standardized testin class to be promoted or ifhe fails to s/he repeats ordrops out.

Problems with the PilotInclusive Schooling• Teachers deficiencies inknowledge made them to belabeled “tagb-kukut”, “buulu”(a person with dead head/nosense/a fool) although theselabels have been in use inour cultural settings.• Parents of regular childrenthreatened to pick their chil-dren away.• Superstition.

Contributions of UNESCOUNESCO Teacher Educa-

tion Resource Pack of 1995/96

started with Education ofTeacher of Training Collegesas Trainer of Trainers atSaltpond. Series of workshopswere held in many parts ofthe country to impact qualityteaching for All children ofdiverse abilities in regularschools.

Ministry of Education/GESadapts Inclusive Education

In the light of these globaldevelopment since Ghana wasa participant at the Salamancaand Dakar Conferences, theMinistry of Education pursuedthose rights hence the GhanaEducation Service in its Edu-cation Strategic Plan of 2003– 2015 adapted InclusiveEducation.

StrategiesUnder Policy Goal 1: In-

crease access, participants ineducation and training andthe related policy objectiveEA 7 – provide equitableeducational opportunitiesand has indicative target ofintegrating all children withnon-severe special needs inmainstream by 2015. Toachieve this target, the strate-gies in realizing this goalare to:• Provide training for allteachers in Special EducationNeeds.• Re-design school infrastruc-ture to facilitate the accom-modation of pupil/studentswith special needs.• Organize sensitizationworkshop for parents andchildren with special needs.• Incorporate training inSpecial Education Needs intoAll Teacher Training CollegeCourses.• Establish special educationassessment centres in alldistricts (document fromMOESS/GES – 2003 – 2015,Ministry of Education, Scienceand Sports).

Practice: Training of TrainersThe inclusion of mild to

moderate children with dis-ability into the mainstreamstarted as a pilot project from2003/04 with three regions:Central Region, Eastern Region,Greater Accra with Ten (10)Districts but now NorthernRegion and Volta Region areadded to create an increaseof 4 districts to the 10 regionsinitially created.

Initially Special Educa-tion Division and the HealthSector were part of the pilotimplementation of the projectagain in collaboration withVoluntary Services Overseas(VSO) initially but the VSOwithdrew very early after 11/2

years in 2005 due to lack offunds.

Besides the UNESCO Tea-cher’s Education ResourcePack on quality teachingand pedagogy, USAID is themain stakeholder of Inclu-sive Education in Trainingof Trainers.

USAID is sponsoring 5districts by Training Trainerof Trainers in training specialeducators to train teachersfrom Kindergarten to Primaryschools who have no ideaabout special education orhave some concept as DistantEducation Students. Teacherswere drawn from Akim Oda(536 teachers), New Juaben(527 teachers), Ho (536 teach-ers), Bole Districts (294 teachers)and Damango (500 teachers).A total of 2393 teachers weretrained since October 2007– March 2008. The rest fromthe 9 districts are yet to betrained by the Division ofSpecial Education which isfaced with financial con-straints (Information fromUSAID/Division of SpecialEducation - Inclusive Educa-tion Project, 2007-2008).



48


WHAT DO WE EXPECTIN AN IDEAL INCLUSIVE

SCHOOL SETTING?

Classroom Practices in anInclusive Schooling

In inclusive education,the child goes to the schoolof parents’ choice in his com-munity not necessarily theone close to him/her. Thechild’s right is realized andactualized if the school ischanged and not the child.As such, the school improve-ment is for all. Therefore, thechange in the educationalsystem is as the following:• There must be a schoolimprovement for all;- Physical environment acces-sibility or conduciveness toteaching and learning.• The child must be at thecentre of the curriculum;- Child’s needs and interestmust be pursued,- Least restrictive environment, - Equal opportunity.• There must be flexibleteaching methods;- Individual attention,- Vocabularies to be age appro-priate,- Methods suitable to his intel-lectual observation.• Reduction in the drop-outsand class repetition;- Working at the level of child’slearning and interest,- Retention.• Well supported teachersand schools;- Teacher motivation,- Tailor made TLM and teachersown creativity/innovation,- Workshop; in service training;team teaching/cooperativelearning.• Parents and communityinvolvement.• Appropriate teaching aidsand equipment;- Hearing aids,- Augmentative communicationboards,

- Stylus and frame,- Braille machines and papers,- Magnifying glasses.• Alternative methods ofteacher education;- Project methods,- Lecture methods,- Discussion methods,- Distance education,- E-learning,- Open university.• Positive teacher attitudes.

My Experience withInclusive Schooling:A Classical example inNorway (2003 June)

A live experience from aninclusive school in Norwayprovided a classical teachingand learning model. It is ahigh school of not more than20 students included a teenagegirl who is blind.

On our arrival, the chil-dren were on a break; subject“A” was in the company offriends chatting and laughing,not isolated so we could notidentify her. In the classroom,subject “A” had her owncomputer with all the Braillesymbols on the keyboardwith a class teacher who hadcontrol over all the childrenand was able to include all

children in the learningprocess. She used a commonlanguage understood by all.It was a course in English oncomprehension. Everyone hadtextbooks of which subject“A” had all text books brailledand neatly packaged as abook. Her shelf of books wasjust by those of the regularclassmates. When teacherinstructed all of them to take

the reader from the shelf,each one went for his/herswithout any problem. Eachworked independently; first,to read the paragraph; listento the questions and answerthe teacher’s questions; shetyped hers into the computer.Subject “A” answered ques-tions as teacher distributedher questions evenly andrecognized each student asa learner. Her attitude was acontributing factor to makesubject “A” to actualize hercapabilities.

This girl had tremendoussupport from teachers, mates,parents and the school com-munity. Because the homeenvironment is made to mimicthat of the school in terms ofhaving facilities such as the

UNESCO Flyer.



49


computer provided by thegovernment, parents andsiblings, peers and friendshave accepted her outsidethe classroom. Just immedi-ately after class, she remainedwith the class teacher to betrained in orientation andmobility from campus to thebus station so as to take abus home. The teacher ispaid for extra hours a weekfor this type of job. She wasassigned to a certain numberof hours in a week.

From the primary session,this girl had enjoyed supportall geared towards independ-ent living until she picks acareer to earn a living andbe included wholely into thesociety/community.

LimitationOne limitation found is

about the structure of theschool building. We climbedstairs but this subject “A”turned this problem to achallenge and overcame bylearning about her environ-ment, climbing up and downwith ease the stairs throughthe orientation and mobilitytraining.

There is something elsein there which is the Learner’sown commitment and readi-ness to learn and earn a selfesteem and this is her worthshe proved.

This girl to me was ambi-tious, intelligent, intervenedin what she was doing andhas a future for her life. Andso Oscar Pistorius set the pace;a South African born fromSandton Gautang, Provinceof Pretoria, a paralympicrunner born on 22 November,1986, has this to say as hissporting motto: “You’re notdisabled by disabilities youhave, you are able by the

abilities you have” (The Mirror,Sat, May 24, 2008, pg. 15,Disability is not inability).

In Ghana, EmmanuelOfosu Yeboah born in 1977a shoe polisher by earlierprofession, 2001 cycled 380miles for several months inGhana just to break disabilitymyth once said “I want toprove that just because youhave a disability does not meanyou can’t use your God givengifts” (The Mirror, Saturday,May 24th, 2008:15).

How Inclusive Educationis run in Ghanaianselected Schools:Winneba in Focus

The University PracticeSchool, Winneba (UNIPRA)

The inclusive schoolingat the University PracticeSchool started in February2003 at the South Campusof the University as a specialschool with only three chil-dren but moved in 2005 with16 children to UNIPRA. On28th January 2008, the inclu-sive schooling began with 34children with hearing impair-ment at UNIPRA startingfrom kindergarten 1 to Basic4. All teachers are trainedspecial educators.

StaffingThere are five teachers,

with one in each class. Thereis one attendant in the kinder-garten who is deaf herself.

CoursesKindergarten courses are;

Mathematics, language activ-ities, environmental studies,creative activities, physicaleducation. For classes 1, 2, 3,4, besides the above courses,integrated science, ICT andvocational skills are taught.The school enjoys the capi-tation grant.

BuildingThe classrooms are like a

maze type with a door leadingto each other; honeycombwindows are available as asource of ventilation to all theclassrooms. There is no electriclight in the classrooms.

Donations/CommunityInvolvement• All the children have beensupplied with hearing aidssince 2004 by the LilianStitch Funds, Netherlandsbut have not been usingthem because some childrencomplained the aids makenoise in the ears. Besides,parents also keep the hearingaids since 2004 and when itneeds repairs they are notwilling to pay GH¢2.00 orGH¢3.00 for maintenance.Parents fail to replace batterieswhen they are weak so chil-dren do not use them.• Centre for School and Com-munity Science and Technol-ogy Studies (SACOST) pro-vided toys, pencils and erasersto the inclusive school.• The State of Virginia ReadingAssociation donated erasers,pencils, crayons and socksfor playing football.• Prof. Andrian Kniel a Ger-man and a visiting Professorto the Department of SpecialEducation donated children’sbooks, adults’ books for teach-ing special needs children,pencils, bags, jigsaw puzzlesand toys different kinds.Some school uniforms werealso donated.• The Department of SpecialEducation gives out student– made Teaching and Learn-ing materials to the school.

BenefitsChildren have morning

devotion together and assem-bly together, learn and playtogether, then close togetherand go home.

REVUE GHANA 2 gravure - 224P OK:REVUE GHANA 2 gravure - 224P 12/04/10 11:02 9


51


Communication /socialChildren with hearing

impairment are imitatingspeech. When you sign aword and call it you get someof them imitating the oral

sounds. The regular childrenhave caught sign languageas they learn it with all seri-ousness but are cautioned tosign and talk in order to helptheir counterparts. Lessons aretaught in the English Lan-guage with Sign languageconcurrently done with itso all children understandthe teacher at the same time.Besides, the fluency withwhich the English Languageis used by Basic School 4 chil-dren is marvelous. Pupils havefriends among themselvesand interact with each other.

Behaviour ChangeThe hearing impaired

children at first used to throwstones at cars but have beencontrolled to put a stop to it;sexual interactions/matingwas arranged between co-equals of 15-19 years. However,since the inclusion, the lifestyles of the regular childrenhave influenced them tosome extent.

Class SizeThe class size range is

between 7 and 19; this makeswork easier, individual atten-tion is given and syllabus iscompleted.

Academic Performanceof Hearing Impaired

Performance of the hear-ing impaired is challengingto the regular children becausethey are doing well. Commentsmade are: “Mumufo nkolaeye adie paa” (deaf childrenare good).

Wo ti kesie sa no, onimadie se – “you see him withthat big head, he is veryknowledgeable”. Even thoughthey can’t talk, you can’t out-wit them; they are learnedpeople. I witnessed an EnglishComprehension lesson in BS4 of twenty (20) children(eight hearing impaired;twelve hearing children) onthe passage “The Lost Dog”from the class text book. Aclass test result showed thatthe performance was brilliantfor all the children. Why?Teacher in the inclusive set-ting speaks English Languageall the time, she signs concur-rently, pays individual atten-

tion, and uses concrete objects/pictures. Hence, class partic-ipation is very lively for all.Academic competition is high.

Problems/ChallengesInitially, regular children

overcrowded the windows justto see the hearing impairedwhen they had the specialsetting; they were not playingwith them; community mem-bers came with canes andsticks to complain: “eh, thesemumu’s are worrying us”;they have come to beat myson but with the inclusiveeducation, children playtogether and communitymembers have been educated.

Teachers’ AttitudeLabels teachers assigned

to their counterpart teachersare “mumu madam”. Com-plaints are especially againstthe hearing impaired andthe expression “your deafchildren are misbehaving”.

Space, SeatingArrangements, Ventilationand Lighting

Space and furniture arenot enough; ventilation is aproblem due to the honey-comb windows. One class ispartitioned for kindergartenand Basic 1. There is no class-room for the future class 5.

Challenges facedSome regular children are

clever and this is challengingto some of the hearingimpaired. Therefore, this ismaking them pick very fast.There are no ICT books soteachers have to find theirown ways of getting them forteaching this subject, andchildren learn in abstractsince there are no computers.Teachers use their own moniesto buy exercise books for someof the hearing impaired andregular children because

REVUE GHANA 2 gravure - 224P OK:REVUE GHANA 2 gravure - 224P 12/04/10 11:02 1


53


parents are not ready to doso. Parents do not visit theschools even when invited(Gadagbui, June 3, 2008-Inclusive Education Project).

QuestionsHow do these practical

problems match up with theglobal problems of inclusionsetting?

Problems in anInclusive Setting

The education system isseen as a problem, why?• Teachers attitude (intol-erance, labeling child andhis teacher);- Unacceptability,- Undermining child’s ability,- Not supportive.• Rigid methods and rigidcurricular;- Subject centred and curri-culum inflexible,- Child is to pass standardizedtest and keep up with the restof class mates.• Environment is inaccessible;- Terrain sloppy, classroomshave stair cases,- Toilet facilities are unavailable.• Many drop-outs, manyrepeaters;- Child fends for self; vulnerablepromiscuity,- No parental support,- Sexual abuse, defilement.• Teachers and school notsupported.• Parents are not involved.• Teaching aids and equip-ment are lacking.• Poor quality training ofteachers and learners.

Literature has the evidencethat critical factors in schoolimprovement hinge heavilyon:• Effective leadership;• Staff, students and commu-nity involvement in decisionand policies making;• Making commitment tocollaboration;

• Reflections; and • Effective policy for staffdevelopment.

Future Implications forAll Stakeholders

All educators includingcommunity members, parentsand teachers must supportinclusive education by:• Accepting the children inthe regular schools.• Supplying teaching andlearning materials, assistivedevices, supportive servicesetc. are measures to ensuresuccess.• All stakeholders need toembrace the system since itinvolves all and not onlystudents and teachers.• Parents must be supportive. • All children must see them-selves as part and parcel ofthe entire community andas such embrace inclusiveeducation.

■

References

• Daily Graphic, (May 20, 2008).

Access to basic education, p. 9.

• Gadagbui, G. Y. (June 3, 2008) -

Inclusive education project,

University of Education, Winneba.

• Mc Williams, H.O.A. (1962). Devel-

opment of education in Ghana. In

G.Y.Gadagbui. (1998). Education in

Ghana and special needs children.

Accra North: City Publishers.

• Special Education Needs Teacher

Manual (2006). USAID (EQUALL) Unit

3, page 2.

• The Mirror (May 24, 2008). Disability

is no inability. p. 15.

• UNESCO (2003). Overcoming

exclusion through inclusive approaches

in education. A challenge & vision.

Conceptual paper.

• USAID/Division of Special Education

- Inclusive Education Project, 2007-

2008.

• UNESCO Flyer.

The 48th Session of the Interna-tional Conference on Education (ICE)convened by Mr. Koïchiro Matsura, theDirector General of UNESCO was heldat the International Conference Centrein Geneva, Switzerland from 25th to28th November, 2008. The theme ofthe conference was “Inclusive Education:The Way of the Future”. The conferenceinvolved plenary sessions, round tablesand exhibitions. In addition, fourparallel workshops were organized withthe main objective of deliberating onthe role of governments in the devel-opment and implementation of policieson inclusive education, focusing oneducation systems that provide lifelonglearning and emphasizing the role ofteachers to meet the learners’ diverselearning needs. The themes of theworkshop included; Inclusive Education:Approach, Scope and Content, InclusiveEducation: Public Policies, InclusiveEducation: Systems, Links and Transitionsand Inclusive Education: Learners andTeachers. The Workshops were precededand finalized by the Introductory Debate(Education and Inclusive Society) and theFinal Debate (Inclusive Education: fromVision to Practice) respectively.

■


inclusive education in ghana - medbox.org fileghana and unesco 45 ghana national commission for...

Documents